MovieChat Forums > Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981) Discussion > So...WTF? Was he a ghost? A walking Corp...

So...WTF? Was he a ghost? A walking Corpse? Or Someone Else?

posted 15 years ago by theshadow1234
14 replies | jump to latest

Something that I never undersdtood about this creepy classic. Was bubba a ghost or was he actually a dead walking corpse in the scarecrow outfit? I think I recall there being a (after) funeral scene in the movie but if there was indeed a funeral for Bubba, then that would mean that Bubba came out of his grave and hopped into the scarecrow outfit. Which is the reason why they didn't see his remains in his grave. On the other hand, it might just be that Bubba is just a ghost and he isn't really killing anyone which may explain why the boys get killed off by a way of freak accidents.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] prefectj 15 years ago

He was a GHOST obviously. When they dug up his coffin his body was in it. No one was in the tractor that chased Otis. Bubbas ghost haunted and inhabited the place he was murdered -- The Scarecrow!

[–] YankeeDood 15 years ago

They leave it up to your imagination which is much better.

"You can't kill the boogeyman!"
- Tommy Doyle

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] kickstand_cutigers 15 years ago

His mom was the killer..at least thats what i always thought..but its been a good 8 years since ive seen it!!

"Yes, they deserved to die and I hope they burn in hell!"-Carl Lee Hailey

[–] lonenut2000 15 years ago

But his mom dies before the end of the movie; she also seemed a bit too old & frail to do everything the killer had to do. It makes more sense that it was Bubba's ghost...

This is a rotten way to end it!
This is not the end; you haven't read it yet.
In the Mouth of Madness

[–] soultransfixion 15 years ago

I agree that he was a ghost who took the form of the scarecrow. There is no other way that this could make sense.

Learn to Swim.

[–] Pythe 15 years ago

I think it would have been better if they left it ambiguous. However, for the upcoming DVD, a new shot was filmed of the inside of the tractor at the end, showing the gears work themselves, thus undoubtedly confirming that it was Bubba's ghost all along.

[–] jt_1_99 15 years ago

imo the little girl was so hurt over the loss of bubba she had these telekinetic powers and she did it all. I think she used telekinetics to bring the scarecrow to life and to drive the tractor with no one in it. some say ghost of bubba its up to interpretation no one can say for sure other than the director.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] lm362 10 years ago

I totally agree with you. I don't believe in ghosts, so your scenario works for me.

[–] Duragizer 9 years ago

And your lack of belief in ghosts has any bearing on the universe of this film how?

If this is a consular ship, where is the ambassador?

[–] lm362 (341) 5 years ago

Since I don't believe in ghosts, I believe as some others do on this thread. I believe Marylee has some kind of powers to make objects move, operate by themselves and even to make a scarecrow move about.

[–] Ice-Exile 10 years ago

It is hard to tell exactly, and is ambiguous--WHICH IS EVEN BETTER. In the DVD I saw, there is a scene with the plow where it is shown that nobody is at the wheel, and the levers work themselves....suggesting a ghost. Since Bubba's body is in the coffin when it's dug up, him reincarnating somehow is very difficult to rationalize.

BUT wouldn't it be great if Bubba's ghost was also fed into by the girl's possible telekinetic powers as well as the mother's spiritual justice? These 3 things acting together would be powerful indeed.